Refrigerator



Sept. 3, 1940. A. L. FLAMM I REFRIGERATOR Filed 001:. 7, 1957 INVENTORL. FLAMM ALEXANDER- ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in refrigerators and hasparticular relation, to the domestic type electric refrigerators.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken. in connectionwith the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of theinvention is shown. However, it is to be understoodthat-the invention isnot limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variationsand modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the appended claims. 7

F In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved re frigerator with certainparts in open or extended positions;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional'view taken as I along the line 2-2 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view looking into the front of the refrigerator, the doorand'other parts of the refrigerator being omitted; 7

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional .view through the 5 portion of therefrigerator shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the refrigerator body, a side compartment beingomitted;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through such compartment;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing valve meansc'ontrclling a passagebetween the interior of the refrigeratgr body and one of a pair ofsimilar compartm nts;

Fig. 8 is n enlarged detail sectional view showing the valve means ofFig. 7 open; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 8.

Referring in detail to the drawing my improved refrigerator includes abody generally designated l having an open side adapted to be closed byan insulated door l2 hinged to the body at l3. The walls of the body areinsulated as usual and within the lower portion of the body there islocated any or the usual circulating mechanism for the cooling mediumwhich is circulated through any or the usual coil (not shown) containedwithin the housing l "eceiving the usual trays for the making of icecubes.

Within the body are vertically spaced shelves l6 and at the front-endsof the shelves. are guideways ll mounted by a frame I I and receivingglass or other transparent panels or closures l8. It is noted that infront of the upper and lower 5 shelves four panels is are used and insuch instances the entire four panels are slidable in the Y guideways,the intermediate panels being adapted to be moved in opposite directionsto open them. But two relatively large panels are provided to close thefront ends of the spaces above the in- 5 termediate shelves and suchpanels are to he slid back of. one another to-open them.

With this arrangement of the closures I8. at

the front endsof the spaces above the shelves it will be apparent thatwhen the door. I2 is swung l0 openthe entire front end of the body isnot open for the escape of cold air and the entrance of warm air. Whendoor I2 is opened the user may see just which'shelf contains the articlewanted and the proper panel l8 to give access to such article is slid toopen position and after. the

article is removed the panel is shifted to closed position. Inconnection with these panels it is noted that the same are preferably ofglass or other transparent material whereby when the 90 door I2 is openthe user may readily see the entire contents of the refrigerator toreadily locate the article wanted. I

On each of its sides toward its upper and lower ends the body I0 isprovided with guideways l9 and 20. Slidablein such guideways arecompartments 2| each comprising a hollow body opencnly on-itsside towardthe body It. Such compartments maybe slid on bearings 22 in the soguideways l9 and 20 from closed positions as shown to the left in Fig. 1to the open position shown to the right in such figure. Each compartmentis provided with bins 23 forthe reception of fruits, vegetables and thelike. The upper and lower edges of the compartments carry extensions 24received in the guide- Upper and lower brackets 28 mount an angle member29 at the front edge of each compartment 2| and such member is adaptedto oscillate about or on pins 30 carried by the brackets, it a 4 beingnoted that the brackets are stationary on the body l0. On its inner faceor side the angle member 29 carries a cushion of rubber or otheryielding, means 3| bearing against the forward edge'of the compartmentwhen the latter is-closed as shown by the arrangement illustrated inFig. 8.

There itwill be noted that the forward edge 32 u passing through a slot46 in the lever.

its forward and rear as well as its upper and lower edges are sealed inan air tight fashion.

The upper forward portion of each side wall of body I0 is left free ofinsulation at least tothe extent necessary to provide a small chamber 33.(Figs. 7 and 8) between the inner and outer wall portions 34 and 35 theother portions of which are separated as by insulation 36. Wall portions34 and 35 defining the sides of chambers 33 are provided with openingsor ports 31 and 38 respectively. Port 31 communicates with the interiorof the body I0 through a filter 39 of any desired type while port 38places chamber 33 in communication with the interior of compartment Thusit will be seen that through the ports and the chamber 33 the interiorof the compartments may be placed in communication with the upperinterior portion of the body I!) through the filter 39.

At the proper times port 31 is closed by a valve 4| and at such timestheport 38 is closed by a valve 42. The stems of the valves are connectedwith a lever 43 pivoted intermediate its ends to a bracket 45 attachedto a wall portion 35. The forward end of lever 43 is pivoted to a pin 41The pin is carried by a link 48 the outer end of which carries a pin 49received in a slot 50 in the arm 5| of the angle member 29.

A duplicate (not shown) of this valve arrangement is provided to controla similar arrangement of ports toward the lower end of the refrigerator.

'One of these duplicate ports is shown at 40 in Fig. 5 and with thisduplicate construction it will be understood that with all ports opencold air from the lower portion of the interior of the refrigerator maypass through port 40 into compartment 2| while the warmer air from suchcompartment passes to the interior of the refrigerator through ports 38and 31, being passed through filter 39 whereby foododofs from thecompartment are not carried to the interior of the body l0.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements of portsand valves are duplicated at each side of the body to providethe samearrangement for each of the compartments 2|. When the compartments areclosed as in Fig. 8 the piston of the angle member 29is such that thevarious valves are open and the interiors of the compartments are incommunication with the interior of the body l0.

When a compartment is pulled or slid forwardly to expose its open sideor to the open position as in Fig. '7 it rocks the angle member 29 onthe pins 30 from the position of Fig. 8 to that of Fig. 7. Such movementof the angle member results in the link 48 being drawn outwardly withthe result that the forward end of the lever 43 is also drawn outwardly,the lever rocking about its pivot 44 whereby the valves 4| and 42 aremoved to positions closing the ports 31 and 38 as well as port 40cutting off communication between any particular compartment and theinterior of the body I!) as such compartment is moved to open position.

As the return or closing movement of the compartment takes place theforward edge 32 'of the compartment engages the arm 5| of the anglemember and rocks'such members on pins 3| to return it'to the position ofFig. 8. This causes link 43 to be rocked back to the position of Fig. 8with the result that the valves; are reopened. Also the member 23 beingreturned to normal position resumes its function as a seal for theforward edge of the compartment.

The top 52 of the refrigerator body In is built up intermediate its sideedges as at 53 and the top insulation 54 within the top wall is stoppedshort of or at the edges of such built up portion whereby a chamber 55is provided. The top and sidesof such chamber are heavily insulated asat 56 andv 51 but at the bottom thereof insulation is omitted 'wherebysuch chamber will be cooled due to the low temperature maintained at theunder side of its thin bottom wall.

Within the chamber 55 is a water receptacle 59 which preferably is ofglass and if in the form of a permanent device may have a water supplypipe 60 communicating with the interior thereof. Obviously thereceptacle 59 will be kept cool and at the front end of such receptacleis a faucet 5| through which drinking water may be withdrawn from thereceptacle. The top insulation 55 is shaped to receive the upper portionof the receptacle to hold it against lateral movement and there is anair space about the sides of the receptacle to permit the cool air ofthe chamber to contact with the sides of the receptacle. Obviously ifdesired a cooling coil may be introduced into chamber 55.

The built up portion 53 of the top of the refrigerator body I0 gives anornamental effect and such effect is continued down the upper frontportion of the body as at 62. Portion 62 is really a door hinged at itsupper end whereby it may be lifted or opened to expose the faucet 5 l.The door 62 is hollow whereby when closed it receives the faucet 6| andprovides a cover for the same.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention,-what I claim is:

1. In a refrigerator, a body the front of which is closed by aninsulated door, guideways on an outer surface of said body, acompartment on said guideways and open at its side toward therefrigerator body, and said compartment slidable on said guideways toexpose said open side.

2. In a refrigerator, a body the front of which is closed by aninsulated door, guideways on an outer surface of said body, acompartment on said guideways and open at its side toward therefrigerator body, said compartment slidable on said .guideways toexpose said open side, a passage placing said compartment incommunication with the interior of the refrigerator, and

means closing said passage when the compartment is in position exposingits open side.

3. In a refrigerator, a body the front of which is closed by aninsulated door, a compartment having an open side closed by an outerwall surface of said body, means mounting said compartment on therefrigerator body, and said last means including means whereby saidcompartment may be shifted to expose its open side.

4. In a refrigerator, a body the front of which is closed by aninsulated door, guideways on an outer surface of said body, acompartment on said guideways and open at its side toward therefrigerator body, said compartment slidable on said guideways to exposesaid open side, a passageway placing said compartment in communicationwith the interior of the refrigerator, means to close said passage whensaid compartment is in position exposing its open side, and meanswhereby said'last means is operated by sliding movement of thecompartment;

5. In a refrigerator, a body the front of which is closed by aninsulated door, a compartment having an open side closed by a wallsurface of said body, means mounting said compartment on the body, saidlast means including means whereby the compartment may be shifted toexon an outer eifirface'of said body, a compartment eways and open atits side toward on said gui the refrigerator body, said compartmenslidable on said guideways to expose said open side, said guidewaysforming seals at a pair of the edges of said compartment; and othermeans sealing the other edges of thecompartment when the latter is innormal closed position.

7. In a refrigerator, a body the front of which is closed by aninsulated door, a compartment" having an open side closed by an outerwall of said body, means mounting said compartment on the refrigeratorbody, said last means including means whereby the compartment may beshifted to expose its open side, a passage placing said compartment incommunication with the interior of the body, and filter means throughwhich air moving from the compartment into the body must pass.

having an open side closed by a wall surface of the body, means mountingthe compartment on 'the body, said last means including means wherebythe compartment may be shifted to expose its open side, a passageplacing said compartment in communication with the interior of the body,

, means sealing an edge of said compartment when the latter is innormalv closed position, said seal shiftable to and from sealingposition by the compartment as the latter is moved to and from closedposition, means to close said passage when said compartment is in openposition exposing its open side, and means whereby said last means isoperated by shifting of said seal.

9. In a refrigerator, a body the frontend of which is closed by aninsulated door, guideways on an outer surface of said body, acompartment on said guideways and open at its side toward therefrigerator body, said compartment slidable on i said guideways toexpose said open side, said guideways forming seals at a pair of theedges of saidtcompartment, other means sealing the .other edges of thecompartment when the latter is in normal closed position, said othermeans including a pivoted element rockable on its pivot by thecompartment as the latter is slid onsaid guideways, a passage placingthe compartment in communication with the interior of the body,

means to close said passage when the compartment is imposition exposing.its-open side, and

means whereby the last means is operated by the rocking of said pivotedelement of the seal as the compartment is slid on said guideways. 8. Ina refrigerator, a bodythe front of which I 'is'closed by an insulateddoor, a compartment- Amxamana L. mam:

